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The Bomber Command memorial in London’s Green Park will not be fenced off, the head of the RAF benevolent fund has said, after it was vandalised with paint on Monday night.

It was the fourth time in six years that the memorial has been attacked.

Air Vice-Marshal David Murray, the charity's chief executive, said: "This is the worst example of vandalism we have seen at the memorial and it is utterly heartbreaking to see the memory of all those brave airmen disrespected in this way.

“I feel sickened at the lack of respect and the lack of dignity shown by these people. Do they not know what this represents? Do they not know how important this is to many veterans in this country? People gave their lives for this country and the complete disrespect shown by these people sickens me.

“There is no way we are putting a fence up. This is about remembering people and remembering the freedom they gave us.”

Paint has been splashed across the entire memorial, including the statue of eight Bomber Command crew members which stands at its centre, the marble plinth it stands on and the surrounding Portland stone.

The memorial commemorates the 55,573 members of Bomber Command who died in the Second World War and costs the RAF Benevolent Fund around £40,000 a year to maintain.

Linda Meredith, 60, the daughter of a Rear Gunner who served in Bomber Command, said: “I feel hurt because the veterans are going to see this and what are they going to feel?

“I was lucky, my dad came home, but there are other people whose family didn't. I think there is a line between expressing your views and being disrespectful.

“This is just vandalism, it's not freedom of speech. If they had a particular point to make against what Bomber Command did, this is not the way to do it, this is just vandalism and disrespect.”